LOS ANGELES — Washington State coach Paul Wulff is one of three Pac-12 coaches on the hot seat — along with Arizona State’s Dennis Erickson and UCLA’s Rick Neuheisel — and his survival depends on how his wretched defense improves and whether quarterback Jeff Tuel jumps from dependable to remarkable.

The Cougars finished 118th nationally in total defense (467.00 yards per game), 115th in rush defense (220.25 ypg), 110th in pass efficiency defense (152.43) and 110th in scoring defense (35.53 points per game). All were last in the Pac-10.

The Denver Post’s John Henderson is visiting each Pac-12 town before Colorado joins the conference next season. Follow his travels here.

PULLMAN, Wash. — I grew up in Oregon, went to Oregon, worked in suburban Seattle for a year and a half and have covered college sports for 20 years. Yet I’d never been to Pullman, Wash.

Many wisened Pac-10 writers, fans and coaches have said that’s like saying I’ve had many great massages but have never experienced waterboarding. So Pullman was never on my bucket list.

But it was an inevitable stop on this Pac-12 Carwriters tour and like Arizona’s shoddy facilities and Dennis Erickson’s verve, Pullman surprised me. Folks, it’s not that bad. Then again, I’m coming from the Big 12, Big Eight and a lot of the SEC. In some regard, in going to Pullman I moved up in class.

The Denver Post’s John Henderson is visiting each Pac-12 town before Colorado joins the conference next season. Follow his travels here.

TEMPE, Ariz. — I had a nice, relaxing chat with Arizona State coach Dennis Erickson on Tuesday afternoon. I can still see the heartbreak of losing four games by four points or fewer — two on blocked extra points — in a 6-6 season.

“That’s just basic football,” he said, waving his hands for emphasis.

He has two years left on his contract but everyone around here thinks it’s his year. In fact, a lot of people around the country do. Since 2006 only two teams have gone from .500 or worse to preseason Top 25 in one year: Tennessee in 2006 and Pittsburgh in 2008.